| Corneal Abrasion
The cornea is the clear outer coating of the front of the eye. The outer most layer of the cornea is called the epithelium. A corneal abrasion occurs when the epithelium is torn away or damaged. This can occur because of a finger in the eye, a tree limb, flying glass in an automobile accident, etc. It is one of the most common eye injuries.
The cornea has more nerve endings than virtually any other part of the body. Because of these many nerve endings, any damage to the cornea is very painful. Abrasions usually heal in a short time period, sometimes within hours. But while they are healing they can cause excessive tearing, redness, blurred vision and light sensitivity. In many cases, the cornea will heal overnight during sleep. If treatment is needed, it consists of a tight patch to keep the lids from moving and pain relievers.
An antibiotic may be used following an abrasion because the open area of the epithelium invites infection. Small abrasions heal rapidly. However, if one covers more than one-third of the cornea, it may take an extra day or two for the epithelium to completely recover the front of the cornea.
Typically, an anesthetic is used in the eye doctor's office to ease the pain and aid in the examination. After the examination, the pain typically returns. But, repeated use of anesthetic can harm the eye and is therefore not used in the treatment of abrasions. It may take several weeks for all the blurriness to resolve. Permanent loss of vision is very rare with superficial abrasions.
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